19.08.2026 22:40
New Party Gaziantep Provincial Chairman Erhan Deniz Güngen gave a statement on charges of 'publicly spreading misleading information' regarding his remarks following the stabbing of Deputy Melih Meriç. Güngen, who described the attack as a political attempt, told the police that he did not know the attacker Seydi Ahmet Keleş and was unaware of his request for a position within the party and his meeting with Meriç. Güngen highlighted Keleş's identity as a 'former CHP member'.
An investigation has been initiated ex officio against New Party Gaziantep Provincial Chairman Erhan Deniz Güngen on charges of “publicly disseminating misleading information” following his statement after the stabbing of New Party Deputy Melih Meriç in Gaziantep, which placed the attack on a political footing.
WHO DID HE MEAN WITH THE “CERTAIN SEGMENTS” PHRASE? Güngen, who was questioned at the Gaziantep Provincial Security Directorate, was reminded that the perpetrator of the attack, Seydi Ahmet Keleş, was a member of the New Party, and was asked about the “certain segments” phrase he used in his public statement.
In his defense, Güngen notably highlighted Keleş's old CHP identity rather than his New Party membership. Güngen said, “The person I referred to as certain segments is Seydi Ahmet Keleş, the former CHP Oğuzeli District Chairman.”
He then defended Keleş's case, saying: “My statement was about the fact that such people should not be in our New Party, and that the attack on our party's institutional identity and our deputy is unacceptable.”
Güngen stated that in his statement he wanted to explain that Keleş carried out the attack due to “expectations of position and rank,” and claimed that the press and media distorted his words.
Erhan Deniz Güngen HE SAID “HE DID IT FOR POSITION AND RANK” BUT... The most significant contradiction in Güngen's statement emerged at this very point. The Provincial Chairman said his public statement was about Keleş attacking Melih Meriç due to “expectations of position and rank.”
However, when he was asked later in the statement whether Keleş had requested a district chairmanship in the New Party, he gave the following answer: “I have no information on this matter.”
Güngen also said, “The person did not request a meeting with me.” In other words, Güngen explained his public statement based on “expectations of position and rank,” but he also admitted that he had no direct knowledge of such an expectation.
“DID HE MEET WITH MELİH MERİÇ? I DON'T KNOW” The questions from the security forces were not limited to this. Güngen was asked whether Seydi Ahmet Keleş had met with Melih Meriç. Güngen replied, “I also have no information about whether the person had a meeting with Melih Meriç on this matter.”
To the question of whether Keleş had made any request to him, he said, “The person made no request to me either.” Following this, Güngen also stated that he had not conveyed any matters regarding Keleş to Melih Meriç.
HE CLAIMED NO KNOWLEDGE OF ANY FEUD Another notable response given by Güngen at the security directorate came after the statement implying the attack was politically motivated. Güngen was asked whether there was any feud between Melih Meriç and Seydi Ahmet Keleş before the attack.
The New Party Provincial Chairman said, “I have no information about whether there was any feud between our deputy, the victim of the incident, and the person named Seydi Ahmet Keleş.”
Therefore, according to Güngen's own statement: he did not know about Keleş's request for a position, he did not know whether he met with Meriç, he had no knowledge of any feud between the two, and he did not personally know Keleş.
Despite this, he immediately made a provocative public statement after the attack, claiming the incident was carried out by “certain segments who cannot digest democracy and the party's growth.”
“I NEVER CAME TOGETHER WITH KELEŞ ANYWHERE” Güngen also stated in his testimony that he had never met Seydi Ahmet Keleş. “I never came together with Seydi Ahmet Keleş anywhere. I do not know him either,” said Güngen, adding that he was not witness to any insult, threat, or disorderly behavior by Keleş toward Melih Meriç before.
Güngen said, “For this reason, I have not seen or heard any action by the person against the victim.”
PROVINCIAL CHAIRMAN GÜNGEN'S “MEDIA DISTORTED” DEFENSE Güngen did not accept the accusation against him. Defending that his statement did not target the government or any segment, Güngen claimed that the press and media distorted his words.
Saying he specifically noted in live broadcasts that the attacker was the “former CHP Oğuzeli District Chairman,” Güngen defended that he stated the attack occurred due to Keleş's expectation of position and rank.
However, it was not overlooked in the investigation record that Güngen said “I have no information” about the details of this expectation of position and rank.
HE HAD SAID “THOSE WHO CANNOT DIGEST DEMOCRACY” The New Party Provincial Chairman had used the following words in his statement after the attack: “This attack is an attack on all our party members. Unfortunately, certain segments who cannot digest democracy and the growth of this party have tried to block our party's path with this method of attack.”